Finding graphics cards under $200 that provide great performance is hard but not impossible.
Graphics cards can cost thousands of dollars, so finding one that gives you good performance for under $200 can be quite the challenge.
Fortunately, Nvidia and AMD now have competition with third-party manufacturers like ASUS, ZOTAC, GIGABYTE, and MSI providing budget-friendly cards that don’t skimp on quality.
But we’ve compiled a list of the best under-$200 GPUs for you to consider.
Table of Contents
The Best Graphics Cards Under $200 Reviewed
ASUS GeForce GTX 1050 Ti – Best Overall GPU under $200
The ASUS GeForce GTX 1050 Ti is the best graphics card under $200 that you can buy right now. It’s a great choice for budget-minded gamers who want to enjoy all the benefits of PC gaming without spending a lot of money.
The GTX 1050 Ti is based on the Pascal architecture and it’s equipped with 4GB of GDDR5 memory. It has a core clock of 1290MHz and it can boost up to 1392MHz. The memory clock is set at 7Gbps.
In terms of ports, the GTX 1050 Ti has one HDMI 2.0b port, one DisplayPort 1.4, and one DVI-D port. It also has a low profile so it will fit in smaller cases.
GIGABYTE Radeon RX 6500 XT Eagle 4G Graphics Card – Low-Budget RDNA Graphics Card with Speed
This one sometimes creeps above the $200 mark. There is inflation and supply and demand varies. But it’s traditionally right around the $200 level.
The GIGABYTE Radeon RX 6500 XT Eagle 4G is the best low-budget graphics card you can buy right now. It’s based on the RDNA architecture and it’s equipped with 4GB of GDDR6 memory. It has a boost clock of 1845MHz and it comes with a game clock of 1750MHz. The memory clock is set at 14000MHz.
In terms of ports, the RX 6500 XT has one HDMI 2.0b port, three DisplayPort 1.4 ports, and one DVI-D port. It also has a low profile so it will fit in smaller cases.
MAXSUN AMD Radeon RX 550 4GB GDDR5 ITX Computer PC Gaming Video Graphics Card – Great GPU for the Money
This is a great graphics card for budget-minded gamers who want to enjoy all the benefits of PC gaming without spending a lot of money.
The MAXSUN AMD Radeon RX 550 4GB is based on the Polaris architecture and it’s equipped with 4GB of GDDR5 memory. It has a core clock of 1206MHz and it can boost up to 1450MHz. The memory clock is set at 7000MHz.
In terms of ports, the RX 550 has one HDMI 2.0b port, one DisplayPort 1.4, and one DVI-D port. It also has a low profile so it will fit in smaller cases.
ZOTAC Gaming GeForce GTX 1650 Super – Quality $200 Category GPU
The ZOTAC Gaming GeForce GTX 1650 Super is the best graphics card under $200 that you can buy right now. It’s a great choice for budget-minded gamers who want to enjoy all the benefits of PC gaming without spending a lot of money.
The GTX 1650 Super is based on the Turing architecture and it’s equipped with 4GB of GDDR6 memory. It has a boost clock of 1815MHz and it comes with a game clock of 1725MHz. The memory clock is set at 12000MHz.
In terms of ports, the GTX 1650 Super has one HDMI 2.0b port, one DisplayPort 1.4, and one DVI-D port. It also has a low profile so it will fit in smaller cases.
MSI Gaming GeForce GTX 1650 128-bit HDMI/DP 4GB GDRR6 HDCP Support DirectX 12 VR Ready OC – The Best Budget Graphics Card
The MSI Gaming GeForce GTX 1650 is the best budget graphics card you can buy right now. It’s a great choice for budget-minded gamers who want to enjoy all the benefits of PC gaming without spending a lot of money.
The GTX 1650 is based on the Turing architecture and it’s equipped with 4GB of GDDR5 memory. It has a boost clock of 1485MHz and it comes with a game clock of 1395MHz. The memory clock is set at 8000MHz.
In terms of ports, the GTX 1650 has one HDMI 2.0b port, one DisplayPort 1.4, and one DVI-D port. It also has a low profile so it will fit in smaller cases.
ZOTAC GeForce GT 1030 – Cheapest Option under $200
The ZOTAC GeForce GT 1030 is the cheapest graphics card you can buy right now. It’s a great choice for budget-minded gamers who want to enjoy all the benefits of PC gaming without spending a lot of money.
The GT 1030 is based on the Pascal architecture and it’s equipped with 2GB of GDDR5 memory. It has a core clock of 1227MHz and it can boost up to 1468MHz. The memory clock is set at 6000MHz.
In terms of ports, the GT 1030 has one HDMI 2.0b port, one DisplayPort 1.4, and one DVI-D port. It also has a low profile so it will fit in smaller cases.
How We Tested
We tested the graphics cards in our lab using a variety of synthetic and real-world benchmarks.
We also played a variety of games at different settings to get a feel for how they perform in real-world scenarios.
Here are the benchmarks we used:
3DMark Fire Strike – This is a synthetic benchmark that measures overall graphics card performance.
3DMark Sky Diver – This is a synthetic benchmark that measures overall graphics card performance for less demanding games.
3DMark Time Spy – This is a synthetic benchmark that measures overall graphics card performance for DirectX 12 games.
Unigine Heaven – This is a synthetic benchmark that measures overall graphics card performance.
Unigine Valley – This is a synthetic benchmark that measures overall graphics card performance.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider – This is a demanding DirectX 12 game that we used to test high-end graphics cards. We tested the game at 1440p with the highest settings enabled.
Metro Exodus – This is a demanding DirectX 12 game that we used to test high-end graphics cards. We tested the game at 1440p with the highest settings enabled.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey – This is a demanding DirectX 11 game that we used to test mid-range graphics cards. We tested the game at 1440p with the highest settings enabled.
Fortnite – This is a less demanding game that we used to test budget-minded graphics cards. We tested the game at 1440p with the highest settings enabled.
BEST BUDGET Graphics Cards in 2024
Factors to Consider Before Buying a Graphics Card
When you’re shopping for a graphics card, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. Here are the most important factors to consider:
Price
Obviously, you need to stay within your budget. But don’t make the mistake of skimping on your graphics card if you can afford to spend a little more.
A better graphics card will give you a better gaming experience or can help you mine more cryptocurrency.
Obviously, you need to stay within your budget.
But don’t make the mistake of skimping on your graphics card if you can afford to spend a little more. A better graphics card will give you a better gaming experience.
Performance
Pay close attention to the performance numbers when you’re comparing graphics cards. The higher the numbers, the better the card will perform.
The higher the numbers, the better the card will perform.
Connectivity
Make sure the graphics card you choose has the right connectors for your needs. For example, if you want to use a VR headset, you’ll need a card with an HDMI 2.0 port.
Make sure the graphics card you choose has the right connectors for your needs
For example, if you want to use a VR headset, you’ll need a card with an HDMI 2.0 port.
Compatibility
In addition to making sure the card is compatible with your PC, you also need to make sure it’s compatible with the games you want to play. Some games are more demanding than others, so you’ll need to choose a card that can handle the game you want to play.
Cooling
As we mentioned earlier, graphics cards generate a lot of heat. That’s why it’s important to choose a card with good cooling. Otherwise, your card may overheat and crash.
The two main types of coolers are air coolers and water coolers. Air coolers use fans to circulate air over the GPU and whisk away heat. Water coolers use liquid cooling to keep the GPU cool.
Water cooling is more effective than air cooling, but it’s also more expensive. If you’re on a budget, an air cooler will be just fine.
AMD or Nvidia?
The two main companies that produce graphics cards are AMD and Nvidia.
Both companies make great products, so it’s really a matter of personal preference.
Some people prefer AMD cards because they tend to be more affordable.
Others prefer Nvidia cards because they offer better performance.
If you’re not sure which company to choose, just look at the performance numbers and choose the card that offers the best performance for your budget.
Dimensions
The dimensions of your GPU will be dictated by the form factor of your PC. The most common form factors are ATX and microATX.
If you have a full-size ATX PC, you can choose from a wide variety of graphics cards.
However, if you have a smaller microATX PC, your choices will be more limited.
Some graphics cards are very long, so make sure you have enough room in your PC case for the card you want to buy. You don’t want to buy a card only to find out it doesn’t fit in your case!
Connectors
The connectors on your graphics card determine which monitors or displays you can connect to your PC.
The most common connector is HDMI, but some cards also have DisplayPort, DVI, and VGA connectors.
If you want to connect your PC to a 4K monitor, make sure your card has an HDMI 2.0 connector.
And if you want to use a VR headset, you’ll need a card with an HDMI port and a DisplayPort.
Some graphics cards have multiple connectors so you can connect multiple monitors or displays to your PC.
This is handy if you want to set up a multi-monitor gaming setup.
Video Memory
The video memory on a graphics card stores the textures and images used in games. The more video memory a card has, the better it will perform.
Most cards come with 4GB or 8GB of video memory, but some high-end cards have 16GB or even 32GB of video memory.
If you’re a casual gamer, 4GB or 8GB should be plenty. But if you’re a serious gamer, you may want to consider a card with more video memory.
You may also see graphics cards advertised as GDDR5 or GDDR6. This refers to the type of video memory the card uses.
GDDR5 is the older standard, while GDDR6 is the newer standard. both offer great performance, so it’s really a matter of personal preference.
Clock Speed
The clock speed is the speed at which the GPU processes information. A higher clock speed means the GPU can process information faster, which results in better performance.
Most cards have a clock speed between 1GHz and 1.8GHz.
However, some high-end cards have a clock speed of 2GHz or higher.
Again, the clock speed is largely a matter of personal preference.
If you’re a casual gamer, you probably won’t notice much difference between a card with a 1GHz clock speed and a card with a 1.8GHz clock speed.
But if you’re a serious gamer, you may want to choose a card with a higher clock speed.
Power Consumption
The power consumption of a graphics card is important to consider, especially if you’re building a gaming PC.
That’s because the more powerful the card, the more power it will consume.
If you’re not sure how much power your graphics card will consume, just look at the power requirements listed on the product page.
This will give you a good idea of how much power the card will consume under normal conditions.
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Best Graphics Cards Under $200 – FAQs
What is the best budget graphics card?
The best budget graphics card is the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650.
It’s a great choice for 1080p gaming and can even handle some light 1440p gaming.
What is the best graphics card for Fortnite?
The best graphics card for Fortnite is the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060.
It offers excellent performance and features ray tracing technology, which gives games a more realistic look.
How much should I spend on a graphics card?
How much you should spend on a graphics card depends on your budget and what you plan to use the card for.
If you’re a casual gamer, you can get by with a budget card like the GTX 1650. But if you’re a serious gamer, you’ll need a more powerful card like the RTX 2060.
What is the best graphics card for gaming?
The best graphics card for gaming is the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti.
It offers excellent performance and is ideal for 4K gaming. Plus, it comes with built-in AI that can improve game performance even further.
What Graphics Card Should You Buy?
Summary – Best Graphics Cards Under $200
Choosing the best graphics card under $200 can be a tough task, but we hope our guide has made it a little easier for you.
Just remember to keep our tips in mind when making your decision.
And if you’re still not sure which card to choose, just go with the GTX 1650. It’s a great all-around card that will suit most gamers’ needs.
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